Bell 206B accident near W. Cameron 240, October 29, 1993
On October 29, 1993 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N360S, was destroyed in an accident near W. Cameron 240. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE WHILE MANEUVERING. FACTORS WERE HIS CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER AND HIS SELF-INDUCED PRESSURE TO COMPLETE THE FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 29, 1993 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- W. Cameron 240
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N360S · registry record · serial 2217
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO FLY TO AN OFFSHORE PLATFORM, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED DETERIORATING WEATHER AND LANDED AT ANOTHER PLATFORM SHORT OF HIS DESTINATION. THE WEATHER WAS FORECAST AND BRIEFED TO THE PILOT. AFTER A BRIEF DELAY, HE TOOK OFF AGAIN, BUT AGAIN ENCOUNTERED WEATHER AND ATTEMPTED TO DIVERT TO A THIRD PLATFORM. UNABLE TO REACH EITHER HIS DESTINATION OR OTHER PLATFORMS, THE PILOT SET UP AN ORBIT TO WAIT OUT THE THUNDERSTORMS AND SQUALLS IN THE AREA. THE PASSENGERS STATED THE PILOT MADE 4 OR 5 ORBITS DURING WHICH HE SLOWED THE AIRCRAFT AND IT BEGAN DESCENDING. ONE OF THE PASSENGERS WAS ABOUT TO WARN THE PILOT OF HIS LOW ALTITUDE WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS STRUCK BY A 15 FOOT SWELL AND ROLLED INTO THE WATER. ALL 3 OCCUPANTS WERE ABLE TO EXIT THE WRECKAGE AND INFLATE THEIR LIFE VESTS. ONE OF THE PASSENGERS SWAM ABOUT 2 MILES TO A RIG AND REPORTED THE ACCIDENT. BOTH PASSENGERS WERE SUBSEQUENTLY RESCUED ABOUT 10 HOURS AFTER THE ACCIDENT, HOWEVER; WHEN RESCUERS FOUND THE PILOT, HE WAS UNCONSCIOUS, FLOATING FACE DOWN IN THE WATER. DURING THE ATTEMPTED RECOVERY, HIS LIFE VEST CAME OFF AND HE SANK BELOW THE SURFACE.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,600 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 8,925 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,162 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 2, 1992; 876 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Seahawk Services, LTD.
The flight
- Departed from: NONE W. Cameron 192 GM at 2:59 pm
- Destination: NONE W. Cameron 253 GM
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 315° at 35 knots
- Visibility: 0.1 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 300 ft; scat at 100 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.